EDITOR's NOTE: All Tweets below have been redacted (where necessary) within their original sequence.
Get yer popcorn ready...
from TheGreenPapers @TheGreenPapers
41st REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION convenes at 1 PM Eastern Time US [1700 GMT] today [Mon 18 Jul 2016]
This year's GOP Convention seems, at least in part, a 'Hollywood'-like event: who *isn't* attending appears as important to note as who is
The first time in a dozen years a GOP Convention's opening is *not* adversely affected- either directly or indirectly- by a Tropical Storm!
the Afternoon Session of Monday 18 July 2016
RNC Chair Reince Priebus calls the GOP Convention to order precisely at 1 PM EDT [1700 GMT]
A Moment of Silence for the fallen officers of Baton Rouge
The Presentation of Colors by World War II Veterans
Pledge of Allegiance led by schoolchildren of the Red, White and Blue Challenge of Northeast Ohio
Singing Angels (of Cleveland) sing the National Anthem
Rabbi Ari Wolf, chaplain of the Cleveland Police, recites the Invocation at today's session
The colors leave the stage: Time for the GOP Convention to get down to business
First interlude by the band-- a cover of the Turtles' "Happy Together"... interesting
RNC Chair Reince Priebus now tells the delegates about the requirements for *written* evidence of support for motions and nominations
Convention Secretary Susie Hudson reads the first portion of the Call of the Convention before the assembled
Reince Priebus officially declares Rules 26 thru 42 of the GOP rules adopted 4 years ago as the Temporary Rules of this Convention
Temporary officers of the GOP Convention and its various Committees (Credentials, Rules, Platform & Permanent Organization) are appointed
Another band interlude: the sounds of 60s Stax soul reverberate throughout the Convention Hall
Now it's Motown [Junior Walker's "Roadrunner"] being played by the band as the assembled await the next Order of Business
Steve King, the Chair of the Convention Committee on Arrangements welcomes/addresses the delegates
Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson (a Democrat) welcomes the Convention delegates to Cleveland
Cuyahoga County [Ohio] Executive Armond Budish (also a Democrat) also welcomes the Convention delegates to Cleveland
Co-chair of the Republican National Committee Sharon Day now addresses the Convention
Ms. Day introduces Convention Chief Executive Officer Jeff Larson who now speaks before the assembled
David Gilbert, head of the Cleveland Host Committee, now speaks
Video tributes to former US Sen/Gov/Cleveland Mayor George Voinovich and former Ohio GOP Chair Robert Bennett (both now deceased)
A Moment of Silence for notable Republicans who have passed away since the previous Convention in Tampa
The most notable "lost" Republican (depicted) is former First Lady Nancy Reagan
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette addresses the assembled
Matt Walker, chair of Republican State Leaders, now addresses the Convention
Former Governor of Hawaii Linda Lingle addresses the Convention
Ms. Lingle emphasizes the increasing support for the GOP by Jewish voters
GOPAC Chair David Avella now addresses the Convention
Arizona State Senator Kimberly Yee speaks before the Convention
Colorado State Representative Libby Szabo speaks before the Convention
Szabo: "Sadly, we all know who thinks *she* is above the rules"-- the first *serious* dig at Hillary Clinton at this Convention
Alexandra Smith, chair of the College Republican National Committee, speaks before the Convention
Smith: [Her generation] "are some crazy, freedom-loving people"
Charlie Kirk, founder of TurningPointUSA, now before the Convention saying 'Big Government Sucks'
Kirk: "We are the Party of youth and diversity, *not* the Democrats"
Video presentation (from the National Federation of Republican Women): 'There's a Place for You at our Table'
National Federation of Republican Women chair Carrie Almond now speaks before the Convention
Almond: "Hillary Clinton does not speak for all women... women support Donald Trump"
Young Republican National Federation chair Dennis Cook addresses the Convention
Cook decries the "shiny objects" offered young people by the Democrats "a Party of unicorns and fairy tales"
Cook says "free markets are better than free stuff"
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett (Republican), head of the US Conference of Mayors, speakes before the Convention
Ray Valdes, former head of the National Conference of Republican County Officials, speaks to the Convention
Video: 'American Comeback' (with various GOP Governors) is shown to the Convention
Gov JOHN KASICH of Ohio even makes an appearance in the RNC's 'American Comeback' video!
And, of course, Indiana Gov MIKE PENCE appears last in that 'American Comeback' video
National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair US Sen Roger Wicker of Mississippi addresses the Convention
Wicker: "[GOP Senatorial] campaigns will have the resources they need in November"
Wicker: "We may not always agree, in a divided Government, but we refuse to accept gridlock"
Senator Wicker introduces Kansas Senator Pat Roberts who now speaks before the Convention
Roberts: [Farmers and ranchers in Kansas] "feel ruled, not governed" by what he terms the 'Obama-Clinton Administration'
Roberts: "Enough of the Indentity Politics: we are all Americans"
Roberts: "We need a builder and a doer: we need Donald Trump and a Republican Senate and House to back him up"
Band interlude at the Convention: interesting mix of Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" and The Knack's "My Sharona"
National Republican Congressional Committee chair Congressman Greg Walden of Oregon addresses the Convention
Walden: "We fought [Obama] in Congress, we fought him in the courts, we are beginning to win and we will win this Fall"
Walden: "Obamacare is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Obama Administration's overreach"
The next phase of the GOP Convention may yet to prove to be most interesting, where not also (perhaps) entertaining
Reports are that 'NeverTrump' delegates to the Convention may well have enough signatures to force a Rules vote later today
The Temporary Roll of Convention delegates have officially been made the Permanent Roll of this Convention
The report of the Committee on Permanent Organization is adopted: US House Speaker Paul Ryan will be the Convention Permanent Chair
Neither Priebus nor Ryan are presiding over the vote on the adoption of the report of the Committee on Rules & Order of Business
EDITOR's NOTE: Congressman Steve Womack [Arkansas] was, instead, now in the chair at this point.
In the opinion of the chair, the 'Ayes' have it: the Convention moves onto the Platform Committee report... anger on the floor
The chair is empty: is anyone in charge at the GOP Convention? Delegates chanting 'Roll Call Vote' ('USA! USA!' chanted in response)
This Convention is now much like a Baseball game in which the umpires have left the field after a controversial call
GOP Rule 39 (currently serving as a temporary rule): majority of delegates in at least 7 delegations can call for Roll Call vote
The Convention has simply just *stopped*!
They are going to do the Convention Rules Committee report vote by 'viva voce' (voice vote) again!
The chair, once again, declares the 'Ayes' have it... I (watching on TV) couldn't tell myself... this solves nothing
A roll call on the Convention Rules would so easily solve this: if this is a preview of a Trump Presidency, this *can't* be good!
The Trump campaign must have been seriously worried they'd lose on Roll Call, thus they finessed this
EDITOR's NOTE: Reports were that 9 States had indicated written support for such a Roll Call but 3 of these had subsequently been induced to withdraw said support, leaving those in favor of a Roll Call vote 1 State short [per Rule 39]-- so ruled from the Chair.
We've now moved onto the report of the Convention Platform Committee
It'll be interesting to see if there might be any "breakaway" delegates during the Presidential Nomination Roll Call tomorrow
The GOP Platform is adopted 'viva voce': no doubt the 'Ayes' have it *this* time! ;-)
Reports are that some delegations are walking out of the Convention
Now the Convention moves on to approve the new members of the Republican National Committee-- adopted 'viva voce'
The Convention next adopts a resolution to authorize the later publication of the Journal of this Convention 'viva voce'
Time now for the Official GOP Convention Photograph
Pastor Mark Burns gives the Benediction re: this (early) session of the GOP Convention
Pastor Burns declares that Donald Trump "believes in Jesus Christ" and that "the enemy is Hillary Clinton"
The GOP Convention is in recess as of 4:55 EDT [2055 GMT] until "the call of the Chair" (approximately 7:50 PM [2350 GMT])
Bob Dole is the *only* one of the 5 living former GOP presidential nominees attending this year's GOP Convention
I'll here give (former) Senator Dole all due 'prop's... a Party man to the last: whatever you might think of his politics, at least he's authentic
Mr. Berg-Andersson adds: "authentic" here meaning that one has not much doubt where he stands.
I'm sitting in a recliner watching the Convention on HDTV: could even grab me a *beer* (but no drinking "on the clock")!
EDITOR's NOTE: the above after re-tweeting a photo by FiveThirtyEight's Jody Avirgan of the view from 'Nosebleed Territory' in the arena
the Evening Session of Monday 18 July 2016
EDITOR's NOTE: the Convention was gaveled back into session at shortly after 7:50 PM [2350 GMT].
Presentation of Colors for the evening session of the GOPConvention
Ed McNamara of the Prayers from Maria Foundation leads the Pledge of Allegiance
National Anthem followed by the Invocation by Rev Msgr Kieran Harrington of the Brooklyn [NY] Diocese
Marlana VanHoose's (rendition of the) National Anthem: both excellent and moving
Willie Robertson of 'Duck Dynasty' speaks before the Convention and gets raucous applause as he first appears
Robertson: [The media experts] "don't hang out with people like us who like to hunt-- and fish-- and pray-- and work for a living"
Robertson's mantra: "Donald Trump will have your back"
Actor/director/producer Scott Baio speaks before the Convention
Baio: "Is Donald Trump a messiah? No, he's just a man"
Mr. Berg-Andersson adds: Interesting when compared to 4 years ago in Tampa where it was once said that then-GOP nominee Mitt Romney 'can fix the unfixable'
Baio: [Hillary Clinton] "feels as if she's entitled to the Presidency, as if she is- somehow- owed it"
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry addresses the Convention
Gov Perry introduces Afghan war veteran, former US Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, "The Lone Survivor"
Luttrell is greeted by 'USA! USA! USA!' cheers
Luttrell: America must make sure that "the hell veterans return from is not the hell they come home to"
Luttrell: "The only way we're going to keep America safe is to have an elite Military"
Luttrell [to the "next generation"]: "Your war is here-- you don't have to search for it"
Pat Smith, mother of Sean Smith (one of four Americans killed in Benghazi in September 2012) addresses the Convention
Mrs. Smith on Benghazi: "America lost the truth... I blame Hillary Clinton personally for the death of my son"
Mrs. Smith: "Donald Trump is everything Hillary Clinton is not: he is blunt, direct and strong... speaks his mind and heart"
Mrs. Smith: "If Hillary Clinton can't give us the truth, why should we give her the Presidency?... she deserves to be in stripes!"
Video presentation 'What Really Happened in Benghazi?' is now shown to the GOP Convention
Mark Geist and John Tiegen, members of the Benghazi security team and co-authors of '13 Hours', speak to the Convention
Geist: "Stand Down order be damned, we weren't waiting anymore"-- to loud cheers by the assembled
Geist: "30 American lives were saved that night and it was because Americans never give up: we refuse to lose"
The theme of the evening- 'Make America Safe Again'- continues with a video on Illegal Immigration
Kent Terry & Kelly Terry-Willis, family of border patrol agent Brian Terry (killed in 'Fast & Furious' operation), speak 'live' from the Mexican border
Soap opera actor Antonio Sabato, Jr. speaks before the Convention
Sabato: "I know what Socialism looks like and I don't want that for my children"
Sabato: "Donald Trump... will put us back on the right track"
Mary Ann Mendoza, Sabine Durden & Jamiel Shaw- family members of persons killed by illegal immigrants- address the Convention
Congressman Michael McCaul of Texas, chair of the US House Homeland Security Committee, addresses the Convention
McCaul: "We need to end sanctuary cities, keep dangerous people out of our country and secure our borders once and for all"
McCaul: "Let's call the threat what it is: the enemy is radical Islam"
McCaul: [Donald Trump] "will never apologize for American greatness, he will promote it"
McCaul: [Donald Trump] "will shake the ground [terrorists] walk on"
McCaul: [Donald Trump will tell our enemies] "You may have fired the first shot but, rest assured, America will fire the last"
Milwaukee [Wisconsin] County Sheriff David Clarke speaks before the Convention
Clarke: "Blue Lives matter in America!"
Clarke decries the prosecution of recently acquitted Brian Rice in the Freddie Gray case in Baltimore as an "activist prosecut[ion]"
Mr. Berg-Andersson adds: Clarke also described Rice's acquittal as "good news"
Clarke [on the more vociferous elements within the 'Occupy' and 'Black Lives Matter' movement]: "I call it Anarchy"
Congressman Sean Duffy (Wisconsin) and his wife Rachel come before the Convention
Rachel Duffy (of Mexican descent): "We cannot let America become one of the corrupt Socialist regimes our families left behind"
Congressman Duffy [on his own Wisconsin]: "We turned our blue State red!"
El Paso [Colorado] County Commissioner Darryl Green, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, addresses the Convention
Green: "We're more divided racially than we were before [Obama] ran!"
Green: "Nobody wants bad cops off the street more than good cops"
Green [on the military]: "If you put them in harm's way: let them win! And when they come home, honor them and take care of their injuries"
Green: [Hillary Clinton] "sure loves her pant suits, but she should be given an orange jump suit"
US Senator Tom Cotton (Arkansas) addresses the Convention
Cotton: "We don't fight because we hate our enemies but because we love our country"
Cotton: "We'd like a Commander-in-Chief who speaks of winning wars and not just ending them"
Cotton: "We'd like a Commander-in-Chief who draws red lines cautiously but enforces them ruthlessly"
Karen Vaughn, the mother of a fallen Navy SEAL, speaks before the Convention
US Senator Jeff Sessions (Alabama) speaks before the Convention
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks before the Convention
Giuliani: "It is time to make America *one* again!"
Giuliani: "What I did for New York, Donald Trump will do for America!"
Giuliani: "Whenever New York suffered a tragedy, Donald Trump was there to help"
Giuliani: "I am sick and tired of the defamation of Donald Trump by the media and the Clinton campaign!"
Giuliani: "We must not be afraid to define our enemy: it is Islamic extremist terrorism"
Giuliani: "I did not say all Islam, I did not say most Islam: you know who you are and we are coming to get you!"
Donald Trump comes forward to the microphone to the strains of 'We Are the Champions'
Donald Trump himself introduces his wife, Melania, who now addresses the Convention
Melania Trump: [Donald Trump has] "never had a hidden agenda when it comes to his patriotism"
Mrs. Trump recognizes a "great veteran", Senator Bob Dole (the 1996 Republican presidential nominee)
Mr. Berg-Andersson adds: Former Senator Dole was sitting in the gallery (his arrival therein before the start of this evening session was that which prompted my earlier Tweets referring to him [see above])
Mrs. Trump on her husband: "He's tough when he has to be"
Mrs. Trump: "No room for small thinking; no room for small results-- Donald gets things done"
Mr. Berg-Andersson adds: Now, here one is fairly touching upon 'He can fix the unfixable' territory
Mrs. Trump: "Let's all come together in a national campaign like no other"
Donald Trump rejoins his wife onstage before they both depart it together
Retired Lt. Gen Michael Flynn, US Army, former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, addresses the Convention
Flynn: "My message tonight is very clear: wake up, America!"
Flynn [in response to 'USA!USA!' chant] "Get fired up! This is about this country-- this is about the future of our children!"
Flynn refers to Hillary Clinton as an "Obama clone"
Flynn quotes Reagan: "If we lose Freedom here, there is no place to escape to-- *this* is the last stand on Earth"
Flynn: "We must regain the ability to truly crush our enemies... War is not about Political Correctness or words that are meaningless"
Flynn: "A Commander-in-Chief does not draw red lines and then retreat"
Flynn: under Obama "[the world] has no respect for our word or our country's might"
Flynn: "We have become the best enemies and the worst friends and that has to change"
Flynn: "Now is the time for a leader who is honest and strong"
Flynn: "We do not need a reckless President who thinks *she*'s above the Law: Lock her up, that's right!"
Mr. Berg-Andersson adds: To be fair, Flynn's last sentence above was in direct response to the 'USA! USA!' chant by the assembled having switched to 'Lock her up! Lock her up!' in response to his first here
Flynn: "I have called for Hillary Clinton to withdraw from the race... Lock her up... damn right, there is nothing wrong with that"
Mr. Berg-Andersson adds: This last part, again, in response to continued chants of 'Lock her up!' from the audience
Flynn: "Crooked Hillary Clinton: leave this race now!... she needs to go"
Flynn: "American Exceptionalism is very real... our country was built upon Judeo-Christian values and principles... America is unique"
Flynn: "Donald Trump knows that the primary role of the President is to keep us safe... he will lead from the front... with courage"
Flynn: "Wake up America... you cannot sit this election out"
US Senator Joni Ernst (Iowa) now speaks before the Convention
Sen Ernst: "Hillary Clinton has failed to protect our national security... she has jeopardized our safety"
Ernst: "For too long, Americans have felt abandoned"
Jason Beardsley of Concerned Veterans for America now addresses the Convention
Congressman Ryan Zinke (Montana) speaks before the Convention
Zinke: "For Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, being popular is more important than being Commander-in-chief"
Zinke: "I shudder to think how often our flag will fly at half-mast if Hillary Clinton is in the Oval Office"
Pastor Paula White of the New Destiny Christian Center gives tonight's Benediction
The GOP Convention adjourns at 11:41 PM EDT [0341 GMT] until 5:30 PM EDT [2130 GMT] the next day
To all who might have seen my GOP Convention-related tweets: it's been a *loooong* day-- tweet all o' ya again [Tue 19 July 2016]!
Modified .